Apatite fission track analysis on tectonic activities and paleotopography in southern Altai region, Xinjiang, China

This work engages apatite fission track evidences on thermotectonic history, rock uplift rate, denudation extent southeastern Altai region. Fission track ages of 14 samples range from (59.4±5.8) Ma to (109.7±8.1) Ma and the length is between (12.0±2.5) μm and (13.7±1.5) μm. Thermal modeling reveals that the samples have a three-stage of uplift-cooling history. The first stage is in an overall initial uplift before 108 Ma, the second stage from 108 Ma to 28 Ma experiences a slow cooling phase, and the last stage through a rapid-cooling process since 28 Ma with a cooling rate 1.25 1.61 ℃/Ma and denudation amount 1.17-1.50 km, the fast exhumation period in the area. The sample ages could be divided into 4 age groups, reflecting multiple tectonic events with different uplift rates. The paleotopography altitude changes from 3895 m to 821 m, 2250 m to 762 m etc., and the amplitude of changes reaches to 3300-1400 m since 90 Ma. The phenomenon of Alpine turning to valley and valley uplifting is visible in the studied area, indicating various stages of paleotopography. Based on inversion of ancient landforms and equilibrium correction, the equilibrium rebound would play an important role in the rock uplift during the Altai post-orogenic period. (authors)